No. 14 USC (2-0) host Louisiana (1-0) on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in their final nonconference game. 

Kickoff is slated for 8:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. 

Jayden Maiava Looks to Build Off Stellar Start

Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava has been excellent to start the 2026 season, earning AP National Player of the Week honors in week 0 and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors in week 1. 

Maiava’s 92.0% competition percentage against Fresno State last Friday night was the highest single-game completion percentage by a USC quarterback with 25 pass attempts since at least 1995. Maiava has high goals for his final season at Southern Cal.

“Being the quarterback at USC, I take pride in it,” Maiava said. “Just kind of do whatever I can to be placed among the great names that was here before me.“

The Trojans signal-caller has been surgical, and he’s done so with a young set of pass-catchers. 

Freshmen receivers Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, who both starred in the Trinity League in Orange County, have emerged as Maiava’s two leading receivers. Mosley has recorded back-to-back 100-yard receiving yard games and hauled in three touchdowns in two games. 

Receiver Tanook Hines returned to the lineup last week after missing the season opener and strengthened the receiver room. Corey Simms, Zacharyus Williams, and freshman Tron Baker have also become reliable targets for Maiava. 

A big focus for Southern Cal on Saturday will be improving its run game with Waymond Jordan and King Miller, which hasn’t quite gone the way many expected. 

“In the first few games, we watch it, we're just like, ‘oh my God’ and that was like a shoestring away,” said USC coach Lincoln Riley. “That was just one little thing away from being an explosive one and instead, it's seven yards. Which seven's not bad, but when we get an opportunity to hit a home run, we wouldn't mind putting it over the fence too. Our guys are very aware of that right now.”

The Gary Patterson Effect is Real

The Trojans pitched a shutout against Fresno State in week 1. But it wasn’t just the zero on the scoreboard at the end of the game that was impressive, it was how they did it. 

Defensive coordinator Gary Patterson had USC in attack mode all night. The Trojans' defense registered two safeties, and Jide Abasiri was an unstoppable force in the trenches as he led a new-look defensive front that also features defensive end Kameryn Crawford and star freshman Luke Wafle. 

“A great interior defensive lineman is tough on offenses because everything you do is going to be affected,” Riley said about Abasiri. “That’s the impact really good ones have and what Jide is doing for us right now.”

It’s a unit that can go three-deep and finally has the size and experience to create consistent problems for opposing offenses. Linebackers Desman Stephens and Deven Bryant have flourished early behind a strong defensive front, and transfer Jontez Williams is proving why he was the No. 1 cornerback in the portal. 

The starters have allowed just three points through two games but will face a new challenge with Louisiana quarterback Lunch Winfield, who rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown in their 38-7 week 1 win over Lamar. As a team, the Ragin' Cajuns rushed for 243 yards.

“He's a runner, so that's something we definitely gotta look out for," Abasiri said. "The way he uses his legs, if we can take care of that, I feel like we'll be in good shape.”

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